Bernard Fowler

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Bernard Fowler (born January 2, 1960^[1]) is an Americanmusician. He is known for a long association withThe Rolling Stones, providingbacking vocals since 1989 and on their studio recordings and live tours.^[1] Fowler has been a featured guest vocalist on the majority of solo albums released by the members of that band. He has released two solo albums,^[2] and he has also been a regular featuredsinger on other musicians' recordings and tours. Fowler has toured and recorded with the bandsTackhead and Bad Dog and occasionally with Nicklebag andLittle Axe.

Bernard Fowler
Bernard Fowler publicity photo, 2019
Background information
Birth name	R. Bernard Fowler
Born	(1960-01-02)January 2, 1960 (age 65) New York City, United States
Genres	Electro rock rock & roll funk R&B blues country rock reggae blues rock gospel
Occupations	Musician producer songwriter actor
Instruments	Vocals percussion
Years active	1974-present
Labels	Atlantic Rolling Stones Sony

Website	Bernard Fowler.com

Biography

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Fowler's first recordings were with the group The Total Eclipse for the albumA Great Combination released 1975.^[3]^[4] In the early 1980s he was a member of The New York CityPeech Boys withDJ Larry Levan and keyboard player Michael De Benedictus. The group haddance hits with tracks like "Don't Make Me Wait" and "Life Is Something Special". He provided vocals for the songs "I'm the One" and "Come Down" from theMaterial albumOne Down, where he was credited as a songwriter on several tracks. In 1982 Fowler sang on theCelluloid Records releaseDo The Smurf For What It's Worth. Fowler guested onHerbie Hancock's classic electro-funk albumsFuture Shock (1983) andSound-System (1984), as well as the 1985 albumsCompact Disc byPublic Image Ltd andLanguage Barrier bySly & Robbie. In 1986, he sang a song written byPhilip Glass (music) andPaul Simon (lyrics), which appeared onPhilip Glass'sSongs from Liquid Days. In 1987 he sang backup forJames Blood Ulmer onAmerica – Do You Remember the Love?, and the next year he appeared onBootsy Collins'sWhat's Bootsy Doin'?. Fowler was the lead singer for the groupTackhead for several albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s.^[5] He has also appeared on albums fromHerb Alpert,Little Axe,Todd Terry,Michael Hutchence, (formerly ofINXS) andTackhead. In 1988 Fowler found himself touring withSteven Seagal.^[6]

The Rolling Stones

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Fowler in Potsdam, Germany; March 8th 2007 performing withThe Rolling Stones

In 1985, Fowler was hired to recordbacking vocals onMick Jagger's first solo album,She's the Boss. This proved to be the beginning of a lasting business and personal relationship, not only with Jagger, but with all the current members of the Rolling Stones, as he has also performed on the solo albums ofCharlie Watts,Keith Richards andRon Wood.^[7] After Fowler had already performed as asession musician with individual members of the Rolling Stones on their solo projects, he was chosen to join the Stones on theirSteel Wheels world tour, in 1989. Mick Jagger spoke about his choice of Fowler to singbacking vocals saying that Fowler impressed him because he had a wide vocal range, many musical influences, and stamina.

He has remained as a regular backup singer on tours with the Stones since then. Fowler was a feature vocalist on three of Watts'jazz solo albums. The other members of the Rolling Stones have utilized his vocal talents on their solo projects, including Richards'Main Offender and Wood's solo projects.

Songwriting and projects

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Fowler has been asked to collaborate on songs from other artists. One such person has been Ron Wood in writing and composing songs for his solo albums. Fowler and Wood have co-written several songs and recorded them on Wood's albums.^[8]

In 2006, Fowler released his first solo album,Friends with Privileges, onSony Japan.^[9] This is his first entirely solo effort, however, he has had a significant number ofrock and roll andR&B heavyweights in the music industry working with him. They includeRon Wood,Darryl Jones andLisa Fischer ofRolling Stones fame; studiosession musician and record producerWaddy Wachtel, theRed Hot Chili Peppers,Robert Plant,Dave Abbruzzese (formerly ofPearl Jam),Joe Elliot (ofDef Leppard), andIvan Neville. His newest project is called the IMF's.

In May 2011, he appeared as a special guest joining Argentine musicianCharly Garcia playing a concert inMontevideo,Uruguay.^[10]

Discography

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With The Rolling Stones and their solo projects

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(1985)She's the Boss (Mick Jagger)
(1989)Steel Wheels (Rolling Stones)
(1991)Flashpoint (Rolling Stones)
(1992)Tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings (Charlie Watts)
(1992)Slide on This (Ronnie Wood)
(1992)Main Offender (Keith Richards)
(1993)Warm and Tender (Charlie Watts)
(1993)Slide on Live: Plugged in and Standing (Ronnie Wood)
(1993)Jump Back (Rolling Stones)
(1994)Voodoo Lounge (Rolling Stones)
(1995)Stripped (Rolling Stones)
(1996)Long Ago and Far Away (Charlie Watts)
(1997)Bridges to Babylon (Rolling Stones)
(1998)No Security (Rolling Stones)
(2000)Live and Eclectic (Ronnie Wood)
(2002)Forty Licks (Rolling Stones)
(2004)Live Licks (Rolling Stones)
(2005)A Bigger Bang (Rolling Stones)
(2005)Rarities 1971–2003 (Rolling Stones)
(2008)Shine a Light (Rolling Stones)
(2010)I Feel Like Playing (Ronnie Wood)
(2012)Light the Fuse (Rolling Stones) (a digital download through Google Music)
(2012)GRRR! (Rolling Stones) compilation album
(2013)Hyde Park Live (Rolling Stones)
(2015)From the Vault – Live at the Tokyo Dome (Rolling Stones)
(2015)Sticky Fingers Live (Rolling Stones)
(2015)Hyde Park Live (Rolling Stones)
(2015)Crosseyed Heart (Keith Richards)
(2016)Totally Stripped (Rolling Stones)
(2016)Havana Moon (Rolling Stones)
(2017)Sticky Fingers – Live At The Fonda Theatre 2015 (Rolling Stones)
(2018)San Jose '99 (Rolling Stones)
(2018)Voodoo Lounge Uncut (Rolling Stones)
(2019)Bridges to Bremen (Rolling Stones)
(2019)HONK (Rolling Stones) compilation album incl. live CD (Lim. ed.)
(2019)Bridges to Buenos Aires (Rolling Stones)
(2020)Steel Wheels Live (Rolling Stones)
(2021)A Bigger Bang Live (10" Vinyl, 2 track, RSD 2021)
(2021)A Bigger Bang: Live on Copacabana Beach (Rolling Stones)
(2022)Licked Live in NYC (Rolling Stones)
(2022)Grrr Live! (Rolling Stones)

With others

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(1982)Smurf For What It's Worth (The Smurfs)
(1982)Don't Make Me Wait (Peech Boys)
(1982)Life Is Something Special (Peech Boys)
(1982)One Down (Material)
(1982)Future Shock (Herbie Hancock)
(1983)I Need You Now (Sinnamon)
(1983)Crazy Cuts (Grandmixer DST)
(1984)Do You Believe (The Mariner's Baptist Church Choir)Beat Street soundtrack and movie
(1984)Sound-System (Herbie Hancock)
(1985)Starpeace (Yoko Ono)
(1985)Language Barrier (Sly & Robbie)
(1986)Futurista (Ryuichi Sakamoto)
(1986)Media Bahn Live (Ryuichi Sakamoto)
(1986)Songs from Liquid Days (Philip Glass)
(1986)Axis (Jonas Hellborg)
(1986)Album (Public Image, Ltd.)
(1987)America – Do You Remember the Love? (James Blood Ulmer)
(1988)What's Bootsy Doin'? (Bootsy Collins)
(1988)Bass (Jonas Hellborg)
(1990)Strange Things (Tackhead)
(1990)Liberty (Duran Duran)
(1991)Videohead (Tackhead)
(1991)Johnnie B. Bad (Johnnie Johnson)
(1992)No Other World (Shining Path)
(1992)Onobox (Yoko Ono)
(1993)Stain (Living Colour)
(1994)Jazz Passengers in Love (Roy Nathanson's Jazz Passengers)
(1996)12 Hits and a Bump (Nicklebag)
(1997)Power Inc. (Tackhead)
(1999)Michael Hutchence (Michael Hutchence)
(1999)Colors (Herb Alpert)
(2000)Hot Night Tonight (Barbara Lynn)
(2001)Best of Material (Material)
(2004)Champagne & Grits (Little Axe)
(2008)Along Came a Spider (Alice Cooper)
(2008)Ever Changing Times (Steve Lukather)
(2010)All's Well That Ends Well (Steve Lukather)
(2010)Bought for a Dollar, Sold for a Dime (Little Axe)
(2013)Ronin (Tao Of Sound)^[11]
(2023)Heavy Hitters II (George Lynch and Jeff Pilson)